Trip Ed Transit Pass

Our communities are rich in recreational and cultural amenities such as Science World, museums, historic sites, art galleries, festivals, dramatic and musical performances, recreational facilities, public libraries, fire stations, community centres, public parks and so on. A school trip is often the only introduction to these amenities that children will have. Yet access to these integral services  is increasingly difficult for our kids due to  barriers including the high cost of public transit, fewer parent volunteer drivers, new requirements for car booster seats, diminishing school operating budgets, and the downturn in the economy which puts even the modest  cost of a field trip out of reach for many.

Transit fares alone for a class of 30 children and their adult supervisors could put the cost of a trip to Stanley Park at more than  $100. The cost of renting a private bus is over $200. In these times of increasing environmental awareness, it makes sense for our children to become comfortable with and aware of the environmental benefits of using public transit

Trip Ed advocates for a yearly $10 TripEd transit pass which would be available for purchase by schools, child care centres, organized youth sports teams, and summer camps, which will allow a group (class) of children with their adult supervisors to use transit for educational trips where public transit exists (e.g. the Lower Mainland).

The pass is to be subsidized through the auspices of the Ministry of Education, School Boards, Municipalities and their partners including Translink, BCCPAC and others